Sliding selector



Nov. 8, 1949 F. A. TITCOMB SLIDING SELECTOR l N VE N TOP. /ff/ar 1. 7//70/1/5 (7 Filed Dec.

ATTOQ a novum avw. t), LUI'U zssus sLmrNG saLEcroa Frederick A. Titcomb, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, assignor of iii'ty per cent to Blanch A. Schneider, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application December 26, 1946, Serial No. 718,550

This invention relates to a sliding selector for automatic gramophones and the like.

There are many automatic gramophones in public places having a plurality of individual boxes at each of which a person may select and cause to be played a desired musical selection. With most of these devices, the operator has to ascertain the number of the piece he wishes to play and then press a button bearing the same number. In many cases, the operator presses the wrong button. thus making a wrong selection. Many of the selecting devices are very complicated and are frequently out of order, or they do not always function properly.

'Ihe object ofthe present invention is to provide a sliding selector for use at the individual boxes or on the automatic gramophone itself,

- which will not bend regardless of the length, size or weight of the indicator and/or knob, which is extremely simple in construction and yet durable, and which is f ool proof and will not function erroneously. i

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists essentially of a selector for automatic gramophones and the like, com- 25 prising a casing, a slide movably mounted in the,v casing, an indicator extending from the slide through a slot in the casing, a contact bar in the casing, a plurality of contact buttons in the casing spaced from the bar and from each other, said contact bar and button being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and means on the slide for selectively connecting the contact buttons with the bar when the slide is moved, as more fully described in the following speclilcation and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an enlarged vertical and fragmentary section through a selector casing,

Figure il is a vertical section taken at right angles to Figure 1, and v Figure 3 is a` reduced front elevation of the casing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Il is a casing of amr desired shape having spaced parallel rods I I and I2 mounted therein. Rod II is ilxed in the casing, while the rod I2 is movable in relation to the other and has its opposite ends slidably fitting in shortslots I3 formed in the walls of the casing. Suitable means is provided for applying an even and resilient pressure on the rod I2 to urge it towards the rod II while maintaining the rods in their parallel relationship. One way of accomplishing this is by means of spring-loaded plungers I1 connected to the 55 rod I2 adjacent its opposite ends. The plungers are slidably mounted in tubes I8 supported by the casing and containing springs I9, the tension of which may be regulated by screws threaded into the outer ends of said tubes.

8 Claims. (Cl. 200-16) A slide is movably mounted between the rods. This slide consists of spaced side plates 25 and 21 having rollers 2l and 29 between their opposite ends. These rollers are formed with peripheral grooves into which the rods nt in order to prevent lateral movement of the slide. The pressure on the rod I2 retains the slide between it and the rod II. An indicator and knob extends outwardly from the slide through an elongated slot II formed in the front wall of the casing III. Names of different pieces to be played may be placed at the lines 32 on the casing front in any suitable manner.

A contact bar 35 extends the same direction as the rods on one side thereof, while a plurality of spaced contact buttons 35 are mounted in line with and insulated from each other opposite the contact baron the far sideof the rods. I'he contact bar and buttons are electrically connected to an automatic gramophone (not shown) in any suitable manner, such as by wires 31 and l5, respectively.

Suitable means is provided on the slide 25 for selectively connecting the contact bar with the contact buttons as the slide is moved along the rods. One way of doing this is by means of brush contacts 44 and 45 slidably projecting from the opposite ends of a tube 46 which is carried by the slide 25. This tube extends through the side -plates 25 and 21 and is 'insulated therefrom by washers I1 formed of suitable insulating material. A spring 4l in the tube 45 .urges the brush contacts outwardly and at the same time makes an electrical connection therebetween.

The contact 44 is constantly in engagement with the contact bar l5, and the contact I5 is selectively moved into engagement with any of the contact buttons 36. This closes a circuit including the bar and the selected button, along with the appropriate elements of the gramophone.

In order to play a piece, the operator merely moves the indicator 30 to the name of the piece desired. This closes the circuit including the contact bar and one of the buttons to set the gramophone in operation. The casing I0 may be remote from the gramophone or it may be built in or form part thereof.

The sliding selector is usually used in connection with a Icoin-control device, but as the latter does not form part of this invention, it has been omitted for the sake of clarity.

The rod I2 applies an even pressure on the rollers .28 and 29 so that the slide cannot bind vas it is moved. This pressure is sufilcient to retain the slide in any selected position. The button contacts are far enough away from each other that brush contact 45 leaves' one before it engages the next one.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A selector for automatic gramophones and the like, comprising a casing, a pair of spaced parallel rods mounted in the casing, one of said.

rods being spring-loaded for parallel movement towards and away from the other, a slide movably mounted between the rods, an indicator extending from the slide through a slot in the casing, a contact bar in the casing, a plurality of contact buttons in the casing spaced from the bar and from each other, said contact bar and buttons being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and means on the slide for selectively connecting the contact buttons with the bar when the slide is moved.

2. A selector for automatic gramophones and the like, comprising a casing, a pair of spaced parallel rods mounted in the casing, one of said rods being spring-loaded for parallel movement towards and away from the other, a slide movably mounted between the rods, means in the slide engaging the rods to prevent lateral movement of said slide, an indicator extending from the slide through a slot in the casing, a contact bar in the casing, a plurality of contact buttons in the casing spaced from the bar and from each other, said contact bar and buttons being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and a pair of contacts on the slide connected to each other and insulated therefrom, one of said contacts being constantly in slidable engagement with the bar and the other being adapted selectively to contact the buttons when the slide is moved.

3. A selector for automatic gramophones and the like, comprising a casing, a pair of spaced parallel rods mounted in the casing, one of said rods being movable in relation to the other, resilient means adjacent opposite ends of the movable bar for applying an even pressure thereon, a slide movably mounted between the rods, an lndicator extending from the slide through a slot in the casing, a continuous contact and a plurality of individual contacts mounted in the casing spaced from each other, each of said contacts being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and means on the slide for selectively connecting the continuous contact to the individual contacts when the slide is moved.

4. A selector for automatic gramophones and the like, comprising a casing, a pair of spaced parallel rods mounted in the casing, one of said rods being movable in relation to the other, means for applying an even pressure on the movable rod to urge it toward the other rod, a slide movably mounted between the rods, means on the slide engaging the rods to prevent lateral movement of said slide, an indicator extending from the slide through a slot in the casing, a continuous contact and a plurality of individual -contacts mounted in the casing spaced from each other, each of said contacts being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and means on the slide for selectively connecting the continuous contact to the individual contacts when the slide is moved.

5. A selector for automatic gramophones and the like, comprising a casing, a pair of spaced parallel rods mounted in the casing, one of said rods being movable in relation to the other, means for applying an even pressure on the movable rod to urge it toward the other rod, a slide movably mounted between the rods, spaced rollers on the slide each engaging the two rods, each roller having a peripheral groove into which the rods fit, an indicator extending from the slide through a slot in the casing, a continuous contact and a plurality of individual contacts mounted in the casing spaced from each other, each of said contacts being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and means on the slide for selectively connecting the continuous contact to the individual contacts when the slide is moved.

6. A selector for automatic gramophones and the like, comprising a casing, a pair of spaced parallel rods mounted in the casing, one of said rods being movable in relation to the other, resilient means adjacent opposite ends of the movable bar for applying an even pressure thereon, a slide movably mounted between the rods, spaced rollers on the slide each engaging the two rods, each roller having 'a peripheral groove into which the rods fit, an indicator extending from the slide through a slot in the casing, a continuous contact and a plurality of individual contacts mounted in the casing spaced from each other, each of said contacts being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and means on the slide for selectively connecting the continuous contact to the individual contacts when the slide is moved.

'7. A selector for automatic gramophones and the like, comprising a casing, a pair of spaced parallel rods mounted in the casing, one of saidy rods being spring-loaded for parallel movement towards and away from the other, a slide movably mounted between the rods, spaced rollers on the slide each engaging the' two rods, each roller having a peripheral groove into which the rods t, an indicator extending fromthe slide through a slot in the casing, a contact bar in the casing, a plurality of contact buttons in the casing spaced from the bar and from each other, said contact bar and buttons being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and a pair of contacts on the slide 'connected to each other and insulated therefrom, one of said conon, a slide movably mounted between the rods,-

an indicator extending from the slide through a slot in the casing, a contact bar in the casing, a plurality ofcontact buttons in the casing spaced from the bar and from each other, said contact bar and buttons being electrically connected to an automatic gramophone, and a pair of contacts on the slide connected to each other andins'ulated therefrom, one of said contacts being constantly in slidable engagement vwith the bar and the other being adapted selectively to contact the4 buttons when the slide is moved.

FREDERICK A. TIgTCOMB.

REFERENES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

7o UNITED s'rA'rns PATENTS Number Name Date 810,958 Lyndon Jen. 2o, 190s 919,267 Turbayne -Apr. zo, 1999 1,188,438 Goldman 'et'al.".. June 27, 1916 1,997,158 Thomas Apr. 9, 1935 

